City of Heroes goes free-to-play

City of Heroes has joined the ever-expanding ranks of MMO titles to offer a freebie entrance into the game. Paragon Studios has announced that this change is in conjunction with the latest update for the game (‘Issue 21’), and Executive Producer Brian Clayton eagerly adds “We aren’t just flipping a switch and going ‘Free-to-Play.’ We’re embarking on the biggest content and feature update to City of Heroes in its seven-year history”. That update will feature “a whole new zone, Incarnate Trial, powers, costumes and more, including the new monthly Signature Story Arcs and the Paragon Rewards Program”. Meanwhile, the ‘Freedom’ aspect of the game will allow players to level up to 50 for free (with, of course, the usual restrictions that come with ‘free-to-play’). A full list of the differences between Free, Premium and VIP accounts can be read here.